Suzaku Kururugi (Suzaku of the Rebellion)
Suzaku Kururugi, known to many as the masked rebel Zero, is the protagonist of Code Geass: Suzaku of the Rebellion. Unlike his canon incarnation, he holds a deep hatred for Britannia, and like Lelouch, wants to destroy it. Biography Suzaku was born as the child of Japanese Prime Minister Genbu Kururugi, and childhood friend to his cousin Kaguya Sumeragi, and to Lelouch vi Britannia and his sister Nunnally when they were sent to Japan as political hostages. At first, Suzaku and Lelouch didn't get along very well, but the two eventually grew past their differences and became good friends, though a majority of it had to do with Nunnally. For the time they spent together, Suzaku would take Lelouch out to several places and participate in training when he went to the dojo to see his combat instructor, Kyoshiro Tohdoh. However, everything changed when Britannia invaded and unveiled their latest weapon: The Knightmare Frames. Suzaku grew absolutely horrified by the amount of deathst, already reaching high up into the hundred thousands. To his horror and anger, Suzaku learned that his father called for a 'do-or-die' last strike against Britannia. He tried to persuade his father, but he wouldn't listen to him. This would eventually lead Suzaku to killing his father out of anger, and hoping to bring an end to the fighting. However, his father's death did indeed lessen potential casualties, it did little to ease the guilt. It was after Japan surrended that he and Lelouch, along with Nunnally, went their seperate ways, though only after Lelouch swore that he would destroy Britannia for what it had done. Very little was explained in the next few years, however Suzaku became an Honorary Britannian, hoping to bring people like Lelouch and Nunnally out into the light, people who truly cared for others, regardless of nationality. His plans were to become the Knight of One and choosing Area 11 as his chosen domain, this way he could bring about peace while spilling little blood. However, this was not how fate ordained Suzaku's life when he met Lelouch seven years later while tracking down a terrorist-hijacked truck that was reported to carry poison gas. Suzaku found Lelouch inside the truck, however he didn't recognize him at first, and thought him to be a terrorist. Shortly after the misunderstading, the container that 'supposedly' carried poison gas opened up, and revealed a strange girl bound in what resembled a strait jacket. Just as the two were about to undo the bindings, Britannian soldiers came into the scene, with one of them demanding that Suzaku kill Lelouch, just for encountering the girl. Suzaku refused to do so, and the soldier took aim. However, the bullet didn't hit him. Rather, the bullet had struck Lelouch, who moved Suzaku out of the way, and was severely injured. It was this event that allowed a new, burning hatred to develop in Suzaku's chest. In many ways, this was considered to be the event that set Suzaku down the same path Lelouched walked: The path to destroy Britannia. Appearance Suzaku is noted to be a fairly tall individual, carrying somewhat wavy brown hair and soft green eyes. Despite his lanky appearance, he is physically fit and is capable of going against several people without so much as breaking a sweat, a result from his training with Tohdoh. His body is slightly toned, and carries a small scar along his left collar bone, a result from him engaging in a sword match and gaining a cut from Lelouch. Personality As a child, Suzaku was very untrusting of Britannians, due to the fact that they waged war against neighboring countries simply because they sought profit, or because they did it 'just cause'. However, this would change when he met Lelouch and Nunnally vi Britannia, among the many members of the Imperial family. At first, Suzaku did not know why a Britannian had come to Japan, and was mortified to see a girl, younger than him, unable to see and walk. He didn't get along well with Lelouch, but the two eventually became good friends, which helped Suzaku realize that not all Britannians are evil. However, his mind would take a drastic change shortly after reuniting with Lelouch when they had parted ways seven years ago. The sight of seeing Lelouch being gunned down, the order to massacre everyone in the ghetto, and the dead bodies of several Elevens, even young children, had caused a new hatred to brew within Suzaku, thus spuring a desire to wipe Britannia off the face of the map. At that point, Suzaku holds few Britannians, such as Lelouch, Nunnally, and Diethard, as allies, and loathes many Britannians. At first, he is a bit unnerved by the sudden decision for Lelouch to put him in the Student Council, but he got along well with everyone. He is also very cold and spiteful towards members of Britannain royalty, save Euphemia. As Zero, Suzaku can be seen as a true enemy to Britannia, completely uncaring for the wellfare of its citizens, with the exception of his friends' families, and openly stated his loathing for it and declared to the world that he would reduce the entire country to nothing more than a pile of rubble. It was this declaration that has earned him true recognition from many Elevens, and even those outside fo Area 11. Those who have seen Suzaku's face, after his unveiling as Zero, are completely floored and stand in awe of him, but wonder what could have happened for Suzaku to develop such great disdain for it. Taizo Kirihara even noted that, had he not seen Suzaku's face, he had thought him to be Lelouch. Despite his coldness, however, Suzaku is unwilling to sacrifice the lives of his comrades and innocent people, and judges them by their views and beliefs in this world. Because of his nationality, he is more trusted than Lelouch was, and his fondness of people has earned him his comrade's loyalty. Plot Relationships Lelouch vi Britannia Nunnally vi Britannia Ashford Academy Student Council Euphemia li Britannia Cornelia li Britannia Schneizel el Britannia Kallen Kouzuki C.C. Kyoshiro Tohdoh The Black Knights Powers and Abilities Because of his training as a child, and his military duties, Suzaku has developed several skills along the way, such as able to run along walls for a short distance, leap somewhat high in the air, and deliver crippling blows to the enemy. His skills in a Knightmare Frame are the same as they were in the canon storyline, and has developed a strategic mind like Lelouch. His skills and strategies have, more often than not, make Lelouch question if Schneizel turned traitor. However, his defining abilities are his Geass. Unlike the other characters who possess this power, Suzaku bears the ability to use two Geass, each with different abilities. The first is the same as Lelouch: Absolute Obedience. It has the same flaws and advantages, it only works via eye contact, commands must be issued verbally, and affects the nervous system. His second Geass grants him the power of Absolute Precogition, much like the Knight of One Bismarck's, however this works a bit different. It is very much like the power used by Sven, a bounty hunter in the anime/manga series Black Cat. Suzaku can see five minutes into the future, however afterwards, he is physically drained. Quotes "Now I understand... That desire of yours to burn Britannia to the very ground... I understand it all too well now, Lelouch!" "The sins of Britannia are unforgivable, you people are nothing more than a pack of animals who attack one another as if it were for sport! You kill, you rob others, to take everything away from people who want nothing than to live a ordinary life, and for what?! Money, glory, sport?!" -to Jeremiah Gottwald "I swear... I shall obliterate Britannia from this very Earth!" -to Jeremiah "I am not completely heartless... Unlike those Britannian scum, I actually hold human value in high regard. I trust you know that as well, Kallen?" -to Kallen Kouzuki "Those with power, fear us! Those without it, rally behind us! We, the Black Knights, shall be the ones to deliver judgment to this world!" -his declaration to the world as Zero Trivia *Suzaku's character design in the story is among the current trend of characters having the power of multiple Geass, examples being Rai from Code Geass: Lost Colors -A New Translation- and Lelouch in Code Geass: The Seed of Freedom. *Due to this incarnation leading the Black Knights, Suzaku does not pilot the Lancelot. Rather, he pilots the Gekka Pre-Production Test Type, the only real difference being that it has a black and gold color scheme instead of blue. It's also equipped with the same sword that the Gekka and Zangetsu use. **At Kanime Island, Suzaku and Kallen manage to get their hands on the prototype 8th Generation Knightmares: the Nirvash TypeEND and Nirvash TypeZERO, though the TypeZERO is piloted by Rai Thurston.